Inking mechanism for printing machines



Jan. 24, 1956 -r. E. PHYTHIAN ET AL 2,731,914

INKING MECHANISM FOR PRINTING MACHINES 5 Sheets-Sheet 1 Filed July 25, 1950 INVENTORS AT RNE).

Jan. 24, 1956 T'. E. PHYTHIAN ETAL 2,731,914

INKING MECHANISM FOR PRINTING MACHINES 5 Sheets-Sheet 3 Filed July 25. 1950 INVINT R'B- ATTORNEY.

Jan. 24, 1956 T. E. PHYTHIAN EI'AL 2,731,914 INKING MECHANISM FOR PRINTING MACHINES Filed July 25, 1950 5 Sheets-Sheet 4 ll vvgNTflfls. Mada. Wow 8) A ORNE).

Jan. 24, 1956 T. E. PHYTHIAN EI'AL 2,731,914

INKING MECHANISM FOR PRINTING MACHINES Fil ed July 25, 1950 5 Sheets-Sheet 5 INVENTORS, 10min 8y I? /C/ r ATTRNEY.

2,731,914 liNKllNG MEQHANISM FOR PRINTING MACHINES Thomas Ewart Phythian, Leeds, and William Dudley Lawsun, Eranhope, near Leeds, England, assiguors to R. Hoe & Co. Inc, New York, N. Y., a corporation of New York Application July 25, 1950, Serial No. 175,672 .4 Claims. (Cl. 101-365) This invention relates to inking mechanism for printing machines: the invention is concerned with such mechanism embodying the well-known method of effecting the supply of ink by 'ink pumps of which a number ink pump system.

Now according to the present invention an ink pump assembly comprises a number of separate self-contained ink pump units each equipped with ink pumps, an ink box can individually be located in position with other similar units to provide an assemblage of units which together build-up to the required width.

Thus, in a newspaper printing machine for example would include mechanism by which the output of each pump can be individually adjusted and preferably also by A .eans of which individual pumps can be cut-out entirely.

Provision would be made for driving the pumps of each unit and generally the arrangement would be such that the fitting of a unit into position in a machine would effect the necessary driving connection.

It will be clear that by fitting such a series of selfcontained ink-pump units to a machine, selection can be replace them by similar units which are charged with the particular colour required: the necessity for thorough cleaning in making colour change does not arise and moreover change can be effected very quickly by the mere act of replacement.

Printing machines for which such an inking mechanism is suitable are designed to print by the self-contained ink-pump units can be made of a standard size while yet being adaptable to deal with the different widths of web: this is effected by providing loose or detachable rail plates all having discharge ducts which extend from intake openings arranged as a standard to correspond to the discharge openings formed in the nited States Patent 2,731,914 Patented Jan. 24, 1956 Reference will first be made to Figures 1 and 2 to make clear the general arrangement of an inking mechanism according to this invention: in these figures, an inking drum or roller is indicated at this roller being mounted to rotate in side frames 2, 3 and being driven by the drive of the printing machine to which ink is being supplied: this ink is fed to the roller l by ink pumps: one for each column width of the roller and these pumps are arranged each such group of pumps is housed in a casing four units being indicated at 4, 5, 6 and '7 and these units provide with their enclosed pumps self-contained inking units which are separately secured in position to a supporting rail 8 supported between the side frames 2, 3 each such unit including also an ink rail section by which the ink delivered by the various pumps is applied to the roller 1. Drive to the pumps inside the casings 47 is effected through a driving shaft 9 which is supported by brackets it from the rail 8 and th1s shaft has along its length a number of gear wheels 11 one for each ink-pump casing: each casing has an external gear wheel 12 so disposed that when the casing is fitted to the ink rail its gear 12 will It will be clear that, each casing 4-7 affording a selfcontained ink pump unit, the various units can, when a change in colour is required for any page section of the roller 1, readily be removed and substituted by another similar unit which has been used for the fresh colour re quired and this is efiected Without requiring the elaborate cleaning which is at present necessary.

Reference will now be made to Figures 3-6 which illusti one the ink-pump units in detai unit comprises a box or casing 14 having a base 15 formed with a dovetailed projection 16 to locate in a dovetailed recess formed in the supporting rail 8, a pressure plate 17' operated bya bolt 18 being provided to clamp the box in position: the box is fitted with a removable cover w to enable it to be charged with a supply of ink and with handles 26 by which the box can be lifted.

Within the box is a series of plunger pumps 21 one for each column width and these pumps are mounted in a bar which is rotatably supported at its ends eccentrically in gears .23 driven by gears 24 on a transmission shaft 25: this shaft passes out through one end Wall of the box and has the gear 12 secured to it. The plungers are slidable in the bar 22 and are formed with a stop 26 to limit sliding movement in one direction and each plunger is loaded by a spring 27 to hold that stop resiliently against the bar.

The lower ends of the various plungers are slidable in bores 29 in a plate 2% which is itself free to move only with a sliding movement in the frame of its faces so that as the gears 23 are rotated, the eccentric mounting of the bar 22 causes the plungers 21 to rise and fall and also to move bodily in the transverse sense: this transverse to draw ink from the box: on their down stroke their bores 29 moveinto' registerwithdischarge passages-31 to deliver ink thereto whence'the ink is conveyed to the roller 1 through ducts 32 which extend to discharge passages 33" opening into'the discharge openings 33 formed at'the throat of an ink rail? this throat is'formed by a flange 34 on the rail, which is indicated at 37 and by a flange 35'on a plate 36 secured to the'rail 37. The output of the various'pumps is regulated individually by adjustable stops 38 screwed into the cover plate 19 and operatingto stop the risingor intake stroke of the individual plungers at ditferent' points; the plate 22 being permitted to continue their rising movement bythe springs 27.

The discharge passages 33""and the discharge openings are formed by groovingthe plate 36 at its under face: by this means it isrendered easy to adapt a standard unit to therequi'rements of printing on webs of different widths.

Thus, all such plates would be formed with grooves 33' having a standard pitch at their intake-end corresponding to the pitch of the supply passages 32: the grooves "33' would however'diverge at different angles in different plates to discharge openings 33 arranged to suit the requirements of a particular width of web. The rail 37 is formed with a register recess to receive a register rib 39 formedon'each such' plate 37 which would be secured by bolts 40.

The-present invention also provides means whereby the supply'of ink from each plunger pump 21 (i. e. for each column width) can be shut-off without affecting the adjustment-of' its output as determined by the setting of the stop 38. This is etfeced by forming the discharge passages 31 of each plunger in a block 41 which is mounted to slide between theplate 28' and the base which is formed with side guides 42for the block 41: the ink supply space -is formed by recessing the face of this block, this space opening-to the ink supply in the casing through an opening43-in the plate 28. Each block 41 has an opening 44 which receives an operating disc 45 on a vertical-rod-46' which extends upthrough the cover 19 where it is fitted withan operating handle 47. The various discs 45 are eccentrically mounted on their rods 46 so that by operation-of the handles the various blocks 41 will be'slid individually: in one position the discharge passages 31 will be registered with the pump bores 29 to receive ink as the plungers move down on their delivery stroke: in the other-position, (i. e. the column cut-off position) the'discharge passages 31 will be moved out of register with the 'bore 29 in all of its positions and also out of register with the discharge passage 32. In this cut-01f position, each"plunger 21 will take-in ink from the supply space 30 but will return it to that space on the delivery stroke.

It will be apparent that it is necessary to maintain a close slidingfit between the plate 28 and the metal in which the supply spaces 30 and the discharge openings 31 are formed: the action of the bar 22 which is maintained vertical by the fit of the plungers 21 in their bores 29 however tends to tilt the plate 28. Now, for the purpose of supporting the plate against such tilting, it is fitted with a number of upstanding posts 48 secured at their upper end to cross-heads 49 engaging under guide rollers 50 supported by the casing 14: the duty of maintaining a close sliding fit of the plate 28 is now transferred to the cross-head'49' and the rollers 50 which enable the crosshead to roll under them as the plate 28 is slid transversely.

This cross-head arrangement is preferably also employed to maintain the bar 22 and hence the plungers 21- in the vertical position: for this purpose the posts 48 are disposed in the line of the bar 22 which is formed with openings which slide snugly on the posts 48.

Thus, with this arrangement the plungers 21 are relieved of all lateral loading for they are tied by the posts to'move laterally in unison'with the plate 28.

What we claim is:

1. For 'usein a-printing-machinc; a'support, a'plurality of ink supply units on the support, for supplying ink to an ink roller, and each including a casing having a series of ink conveying ducts each communicating with the roller, a plurality of ink pumps in the casing each communicating with a duct, a drive shaftoh the support to operate the pumpsto' deliver ink to the'roller, first control means to regulate the output of each of the pumps individually, second control'meansfor' each pump, independently operable to render it inoperative to pump'ink through its duct, and comprising a two way valve device movable to one position to direct ink from the pump to a duct, and to another position to return'ink from the pump to the easing and to close the-duct, and means forquickly detaching any unit from the support and disconnecting its pumps from the drive shaft.

2. An inkingmechanism for a printing machine comprising an inking'roller, a support, a seriesof separate ink pump units each detachably mounted on the support, each unit comprising a casing having a series of ducts to convey ink to different sections of the rail, and a corresponding series of ink pumps to deliver ink to the ducts, first control means to regulate the output of each pump individually, second control means, including valves having conveniently accessible operating members, to individually stop the flow of ink from each pump to its duct, without affecting the setting of the first control means, a pump drive shaft on the support and means oneach unit establishing a drive connection from the drive shaft to each of the pumps of the units.

3. An inking mechanism fora printing machine comprising an inking roller, a supporting bar having a driving shaft extending lengthwise with the roller and having gears thereon, and aseries of separate ink pump units, separately and detachably'secured to the bar, each unit comprising a plurality of pumps, a corresponding series of ink conveying ducts to convey ink from the pumps to different sections of the roller, first control means to regulate the output of thepumps individually, second control means includingisliding block devices individually operable to stop the flow of ink from the pumps through the ducts without affecting the setting of the first control means, and an external pump driving gear on each unit positioned to engage a gear on thedrive shaft.

4. An inking mechanism for a printing machine comprising an inking roller, a support having a drive shaft with gears thereon, a series of separate ink pump units to deliver ink to different longitudinal sections of the roller, each unit comprising a series of gear driven reciprocatory plunger pumps having .their' gears engaging with, and readily separable from 'thegears on the drive shaft, and a corresponding series of ducts to convey ink from the pumps to dilferent parts of a section of the cylinder, first control means to regulate the effective stroke of the pumps individually, second control means including a manually operable valve device to individually stop the fiow'of ink from the pumps to theducts without affecting the setting of the first control means, and means securing the units detachably in'position in the machine with their ducts poslitioned to discharge ink to the different parts of the rol er.

References Citcd'in the file of this patent 

